Boston consumer prices rise
Higher prices for gas and women's spring fashion helped lift the consumer price index in the Boston area 0.9 percent for the two-month period that ended March 31, according to a report out today from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Over the past year, the Boston-area consumer price have risen 2.3 percent, said the bureau, which is part of the US Department of Labor.
For the two months ending in March, apparel posted a 13.2 percent increase largely due to higher costs of women's apparel with the introduction of spring clothing lines, the bureau said.
Denis M. McSweeney, regional commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, noted in a statement that the average price of a gallon of gasoline in Boston, at $2.57, was up 18 cents from January.
The housing index was unchanged in March, the bureau said.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)
